Inking mechanism for printing presses



H. MCGEQRGE- INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYO Dec. 27, 1927.

MOGEORGE INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 5, 1925 2 sheets-sheet? j INVENTOR.

L9 .flerberz #7 66019? Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- HERBERT MCGEORGE, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHANDLER & PRICE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, CORPORATION OF OHIO;

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

Application filed December 5, 1925. Serial No. 73,404.

The present invention relates to improvements in the type of inking mechanlsm for printing presses that forms the sub ect-matter of the co-pending application of Ralph S. Tyler,,filed October 22, 1923, Serial No. 669,987. As in the case of such co-pending application, such present improvements have more particular regard to printing presses of the so-called platen or Gordon type, the

.2 object of the invention being to provide in substitution for the inking disk or disks, wherewith presses of this type are regularly equipped, a square plate from which the inkmay be transferred to the form by form inking rolls, just as at present. A

further object characterizing the present invention is the provision of means for securing a more even distribution of the ink transversely of such plate, the latter being given to this end a transverse reciprocatory movement.

The invention, accordingly, consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms, in which the :so principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings 'Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation ofa Gordon or platen press constructed in' accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on the plane indicated by the line 2- 2, Fig. 1; and Figs.

3 and 1 are sections of details taken at right ill angles to that of Fig. 2, as-indicated by the I lines 3-3, Fig. 1, and 44l, Fig. 2,. respectively.

Of the press, which is of familiar construction, as stated, only those parts which directly co-operate with the inking mechanism of present interest are illustrated in the drawings. Of such parts, the principal ones are the usual form carrying bed 1 and the oscillatory roller frame 2, it being noted that the main portion of such frame is shown one operative position, while the forward end thereof is shown in a different position in Fig. 1. Carried by said frame is the usual inking device for transferring ink to the form on bed 1, such device comprising a series of composition rolls 3 suitably mounted at their respective ends in saddles 4:.

In place of employing a rotatable disk with its lower edge disposedcontiguously to the upper side of form 1, so. that said inkmg rolls 3 may pass from the one to the other and vice versa, asthe frame 21s os c'illated, I have substituteda plate 5 of gen eral rectangular form. This plate movably supported on a second plate 6 attached to a pair ofbrackets 7 that correspond with the single bracket heretofore utilized to support the rotatable inking disk.f Like such single bracket, said bracket 7 and thus the supporting plate 6in'eline forwardly and downwardly so that the lower edge of the inking plate 5, which of course is straight. instead of circular as in'the case or such disk, is brought into close proximity with the upper edge ofthe bed 1.

Suitably supported, as by means of arms 10 that project upwardly fromthe supporting plate 6, is an'ink fountain 11 shown as of standard construction, such fountain rising above and lying in parallel relation to the rear edge of the inking plate 5. Such fountainflincludes a roll 12 that upon rotation in the g proper direction receives on its'surface a film of ink from the fountain as need not be described in detail.

Journaled in suitable bearings 13, provide ed on the underside of the supporting plate 6, is a transverse shaft 1 1 and mounted on each end of such shaft is a spur pinion 15 that engages with a corresponding raekbar 16 suitably guided for reciprocable. movement in the respective sides of said plate. The forward ends of said rack bars are respectively attached to. frames 17 on theorder of the saddles 4, wherein are journaled corresponding ends ofshafts that carry two ink rolls 18 disposed to contact with the upper surface of inking plate5, as well as a third distributing roll 19 that rests on such first named rolls, and may have, in addition to the rotative movement imparted thereto from such first named rolls, a longitudinally vibratory movement. 1

From the foregoingconstruction it will be seen that upon rotation of shaft'let in a. clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the

rolls 18 and 19-will be moved from the position shown in said figure to the right, i. e. up theinclined inking plate 5, until the rearmost roll 18 is brought in contact with roll 12 of the fountain 11. .On'the other hand, rotation of said shaft 14-. in the opposite divcupying in said Fig. 1.

travel of the rolls in question, the ink is received as aforesaid from the'fountain and is distributed on the upper surface of plate 5.

Rotation of shaft 14: to produce the foregoing results may be obtained in any desired way, but preferably a segmental gear is employed, such gear being oscillatorily mounted on a stud 21 that projects laterally from one of the brackets 7 and meshes With a pinion 22 fixed on shaft 1 1 at a point intermediate of the bearings 13. A link 23 in turn connects said segmental gear with the operating mechanism of the press, c. g. the oscillatory roller frame 2 as shown, so that said gear will be oscillated in proper syn chronism with the movement of said frame. In other words, the rolls 18 and 19'are moved upwardly over plate 5 immediately preceding-the upward passage of the rolls 3 from k bed 1 onto said plate and then in turn follows such rolls 3 as the latter pass downwardly from off plate 5 again onto the bed.

The movement of plate 5 on supporting plate 6 is limited to a transverse vibratory one by pins 5 at the respective corners of said first plate that engage with correspond ing transverse slots 6* in said second plate, as shown in Fig. 3. Journaled centrally in a suitable bearing therefor provided in supporting plate 6 is a'short shaft25,cthe upper end of which is enlarged in the/form of a disk 26 that serves to hold said shaft in place and carries an eccentric pin 27. The latter is received in a suitable aperture 28 formed in'a boss 29 on the under side of ink ing plate 5, as best-shown in Fig. 4. Rotation of said shaft will accordingly have the effect of imparting a vibratory movement to said inking plate in the desired transverse direction as will be readily understood. For the purpose of thus rotating the shaft, it is connected by means of suitable driving mechanism with the same shaft 14 whereby the ink distributing rolls 18 and 19 are reciprocated. As illustrated, such driving mechanism includes a transverse shaft .30 journaled in two spaced arms 31 that depend from supporting plate 6, such shaft being connected by means of sprockets 32 and a sprocket chain 33 with shaft 1 1 and by means of two beveled gears 34 with shaft 25.

Asa result of the vibratory movement thus imparted to the inking. plate 5, a further and much more perfect distribution of the ink on the surface of said plate is accomplished than where reliance is placed only on the ink distributing rollers 18 and 19, even where such lastmentioned roll is given r a longitudinal vibratory movement. Ac-

cordingly, the form inking rollers Will in turn be uniformly inked across their entire length. In this way the advantage of us mg a square or rectangular plate over the standard disk type of inking plate, in that a my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed,

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a platen printing press, the combination with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved across and in contact with said bed; of a plate of general rectangular form located adjacent to'the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; a support for said plate having engagement therewith whereby it is permitted to move in a transverse direction only; means independent of said inking rolls for applying and distributing a film of ink on said plate; and means adapted to vibrate the latter in such permitted direction of movement.

2. In a platen printing press, the combination with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved across and in contact with said bed; of a platejof general rectangular form located adjacent to the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; a support for said plate having slot and pin engagement therewith whereby it is permitted to move in a transverse direction only; means independent of said inking rolls for applying and distributing a film of ink on said plate; and means adapted to vibrate the latter in such permitted direction of movement.

3. In a platen printing press, the combination with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved'across and in contact With said bed; of a plate of general rectangular'form located adjacent to the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; a support for said plate having engagement therewith whereby it is permitted to move in a transversedi permitted direction of movement, said last named means including a rotatable eccentric engaging with the under side of said plate.

l. In a platen printing press, the combination with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved across and in contact with said bed; of a plate of general rectangular form located adjacent to the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; a support for said plate having slot and pin engagement therewith whereby it is permitted to move in a transverse direction only; means including rolls and-a rack and pinion moving said rolls for distributing a film of ink on said plate; and means adapted to vibrate the latter in such permitted direction of movement, said last-named means including a boss on the underside of said plate formed with a slot disposed at a right angle to such direction, and a rotatable shaft having an eccentric pin engaging such slot.

5. In a platen printing press, the combi nation with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved across and in contact with said bed; of a plate of general rec tangular form located adjacent to the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; an ink-fountain above said plate; means including rolls cooperating with said fountain and a rack and pinion and a rocking gear segment for distributing a film of ink on said plate; and means operating in synchronism with said first-named means, adapted to vibrate said plate.

6. In a platen printing press, the'combination with the bed and a set of inking rolls adapted to be moved across and in contact with said bed; of a plate of general rectangular form located adjacent to the upper edge of said bed and in position to contact with said rolls in the upper range of travel thereof beyond said bed; a support for said plate having slot and pin engagement therewith whereby it is permitted to move in a transverse direction only; means for distributing a film of ink on said plate; and means adapted to vibrate the latter in such permitted direction of movement, said inkdistributing means including a second set of rolls movable up and down across said plate and a rack and pinion adapted thus to move said rolls, and said vibrating means including a boss on the underside of said plate formed with a slot disposed at a right angle to such direction, and a rotatable shaft 7 having an eccentric pin engaging such slot, said ink-distributing and vibrating means being respectively operatively interconnected with said first set of rolls, whereby all move in synchronism.

Signed by me this 4 day of December, 1925.

HERBERT MCGEORGE. 

